Send tips/talk to abner@9to5mac.com or @technacity (open DMs).
Abner Li has worked at 9to5Google since 2015 and in late 2020 took on the role of editor-in-chief. He is keenly focused on tracking what happens at Google, and is often the first to spot new features in Google’s ever-growing family of applications that are updated on a daily basis, including Search, Assistant, Maps, Workspace, Android, Chrome/OS, Wear OS, and YouTube Music.
To him, what Google does greatly impacts the technology space and modern life. Inside the company, he is particularly interested in the key products mentioned above, as well as services like Google Podcasts and Google Lens. Each are massive platforms that can be unwieldy to grasp, with Abner keenly bent on understanding their philosophy and future direction. He is most excited about Google’s plans for augmented reality glasses.
Abner spearheads the APK Insight program at 9to5Google to chronicle all changes in the company’s Android apps, often finding new features before they are officially announced. This includes redesigns and revamps, launches, and new products.
A big area of interest is Google’s hardware division, including Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest. He detailed all of the Pixel 3’s camera features before launch and scooped the 2nd-generation Nest Hub’s Soli-powered Sleep Sensing capability, including how it would integrate with Google Fit.
Recently, Abner detailed the Pixel Watch’s specs in full before launch, including bands and pricing. He also got wind of the Pixel Tablet’s ultimate form factor.
The smallest-ever Assistant Smart Display was announced by Lenovo in 2019, and it’s now getting a successor with the Smart Clock 2 that adds an optional wireless charging dock.
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Gmail has seen a number of big changes in recent weeks, but Google is now rolling out a smaller one to the web client that better surfaces the advanced search capability to end users.
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Last June, Google redesigned the Photos app with cleaner navigation, new logo, and a map view. In response to “user feedback and comments,” Google Photos is reverting one change to bring the “Sharing” tab back to the bottom bar.
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Last month, Google started rolling out an online revamp of Chat to free consumer accounts as part of the classic Hangouts migration. That Google Chat web redesign is now coming to paid Workspace users over the coming weeks with a number of enhancements.
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Google has trained Search to “detect when a topic is rapidly evolving” and will now display a “changing quickly” notice when a “range of sources hasn’t yet weighed in.” It comes as information around breaking or emerging news “may not be the most reliable.”
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Over the past few weeks, Google has introduced standalone preference pages for various Assistant features. The latest sees Google Assistant settings for the Android “Lock screen.”
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Following a slew of Workspace developments in recent weeks, Google Contacts is getting visual tweaks and more information that’s particularly beneficial for people within a company.
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Google has long been working on local discovery technologies that Android apps can use for indoor positioning. Following “WifiRttScan” and “WifiNanScan,” Google recently released the “WifiRttLocator App” on the Play Store.
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Following the latest update, the Google app, Podcasts, and Lens are repeatedly crashing, while Assistant is also unavailable. Users across Google Pixel, Samsung, and Motorola phones are affected.
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Google unveiled a $1 billion licensing program in late 2020 to support publishers and surface card-based content across apps and experiences. Google News Showcase is next set to arrive in Canada.
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As “one small surprise,” Microsoft revealed today that Android apps are coming to Windows 11. This is being done through an integration with the Amazon Appstore.
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At the start of 2020, Google announced a plan to make third-party cookies “obsolete” in Chrome as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative. In an update, the company said “more time is needed across the ecosystem to get this right” but did provide a more firm timeline today.
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Beta 2.1 of Android 12 rolled out this morning with a handful of much-needed bug fixes. However, there’s a slight regression to Android 12’s new Internet panel with users unable to quickly disconnect from Wi-Fi.
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At I/O 2021, Google made a big push for building apps across all the form factors Android is available on. The company is now massively encouraging adoption with the global launch of the Play Media Experience Program to get more apps on Wear OS, Android/Google TV, Auto, and tablets/foldables.
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At the end of last year, Google’s 2FA app got a big iOS update that introduced a redesign and dark theme, as well as bulk account transfers. Google Authenticator can now require Face or Touch ID confirmation before showing your codes.
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Stadia for Google TV officially launches today, and to celebrate, some Chromecast owners are getting a 50% discount on the Stadia Controller.
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Similar to a Google Drive change for file-sharing links, YouTube is making it so that Unlisted videos uploaded before 2017 will be made Private next month.
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The latest Android 12 Beta from the start of this month is widely considered to have regressed on stability. As such, Google is releasing Android 12 Beta 2.1 today after going without patches for DP3 and Beta 1.
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Google is in the process of rolling out the “M89” update for the Nest and Google Wifi. There are several user-facing additions, as well as underlying improvements.
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Google’s fast iteration on Meet continues with a series of upcoming new features for education customers. One particular highlight for Google Meet “in the coming months” is the return of YouTube livestreams.
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Google for Education today hosted The Anywhere School 2021 to reveal the latest capabilities for teachers and students. Updates include PIN login for Chromebooks and Classroom add-ons, as well as Google Meet.
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Increasing enterprise adoption of Android devices has been a long-running initiative for Google. The company is now offering its own mobile management service with Android Enterprise Essentials that’s catered towards small and medium-sized businesses.
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Starting on Android 12, Google is rolling out the next big redesign of Discover. This visual revamp of the feed was first introduced on iOS and is now coming to Android.
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The Wear OS Weather app (and tile) was revamped last fall to be much more modern. A small Wear OS bug in recent weeks sees weather alerts appear in a language that differs from the rest of your watch.
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